Durian. The government of Indonesia on Thursday, 9 Oct. 2025 stated that the country won’t issue visas for all Israel’s athletes who want to participate in 2025’s World Gymnastics Championships due to unsolved Israel-Hamas armed conflict in Gaza and according to the stance of Indonesia to that issue.
Coordinating Minister for Legal, Human Rights, Immigration and Penitentiary Affairs Yusril Ihza Mahendra in a video statement said as Indonesia doesn’t have official bilateral relations with Israel as well as domestic pressures.
“So, the government of Indonesia won’t give visas to Israeli athletes who have intention to come to Jakarta to join the World Gymnastics Championships that will be held on 19-25 of October 2025,” said Yusril in the video.
He reiterated the stance of the government Indonesia that often was mentioned by President Prabowo Subianto.
“The stance of the government of Indonesia is in accordance with the directive from President Prabowo Subianto that has been said in various occasions and the last was at the United Nations, that was strongly condemn Israel, whom committing cruelty and violence continuously towards the people of Palestine, especially in Gaza. And the Indonesian government stay with its stance that it won’t do any contact with Israel until Israel admit the existence of a free Palestinian state and then Indonesia will open diplomatic relations with Israel and open other normal relations,” Prof Yusril explained further.
Domestically, various community and religious groups demanded the government of Indonesia to not allow Israeli athletes to come to Indonesia.
Jakarta Governor Pramono Anung echoed his political party’s, the Democratic People of Struggle Party (PDIP) that is led by former President Megawati Sukanoputri, stance that is inline with the government of Indonesia to bar Israel national to participate in any event in Indonesia. (***)
